Machine for tapering coiled springs.



G. H. SCOTT.

MACHINE FOR TAPERING GOILED SPRINGS. APPLICATION FILED FEB.14, 1908.

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GEORGE H. SCOTT, 0F WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, .ASSIGNOR TO MQRGANSPRING- COMPANY, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATIGN OFMASSACHUSETTS.

MACHINE FOR TAPERING COILEID SPRINGS.

Application filed. February 14, 1908.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE H. SCOTT, a citizen of the United States,residing at Worcester, in the county of Worcester and Commonwealth ofMassachusetts, have in vented a new and useful Machine for TaperingCoiled Springs, of which the following is a specification, accompaniedby drawings forming a part of the same, in which Figure 1 is an end viewof my spring tapering machine. Fig. 2 is an end view of the same, partlyin section. Fig. 3 is a central vertical sectional view on line 3-3,Fig. 1. Fig. #1 is a detached perspective view of the spring guide. Fig.5 is a plan View of the machine. Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view online 66, Fig. 5, looking in the direction of the arrow (4. Fig. 7 is avertical sectional View on line 66, Fig. 5, looking in the direction ofthe arrow 6. Figs. 8 and 9 represent coiled springs'having their endstapered in different forms.

Similar reference letters and figures refer to similar parts inthedifferent views.

My present invention relates to a machine for tapering the ends ofcoiled wire springs by which they are reduced in diameter to enable thepulling strain, in springs known as tension springs, to be applied inthe axial line of the spring, or, if desired, to receive the screwthreaded shank of an attaching hook, and it consists in the constructionand arrangement of parts as hereinafter described and pointed out in theannexed claims. In my machine I provide a guide for the end of thespring, said guide having a taper corresponding to the desired taper ofthe spring, and on opposite sides of the guide I place grooved rollshaving tapering or beveled faces corresponding to the desired taper ofthe spring, which cooperate with the guide and by their revolutionimpart a rotary movement to the spring, and by pressure against thespring gradually compress it to a tapered form as determined by thebeveled faces of the rolls. 1 also provide means for the rotation of thegrooved rolls, means for holding them in operative position against thespring, and means acting automatically for separating the rolls torelease the spring upon the completion of the operation.

Referring to the accompanying drawings 1 denotes the framework of themachine, in which is supported a rotating shaft 2 sur- Specification ofLetters Patent.

Patented July 19, 1916.

Serial No. 415,851.

rounded by a bushing 3. The shaft 2 is driven by a belt pulley 4 in theusual manner. Carried on the shaft 2 is a gear wheel 5 engaging gears 6,6, mounted on the rear ends of shafts 7 and 8, journaled in sleeves 9which are supported upon depending arms 10, 11, mounted alternately 011the bushing 3, and concentrically with the shaft 2 and capable of arocking movement thereon. Rolls 12, 12 having beveled faces providedwith circumferential grooves, are mounted on the front ends of theshafts 7 and 8 and rotated by the gears 6, 6. The front ends of thesleeves 9 are provided with upright arms 13 carrying in their upper endspins 1a and 15. A lever 16 is pivoted upon the pin lt, and upon the pin15 is pivoted one end of a link 17 which is pivotally connected at itsopposite end by a pin 17 a to the lever 16, forming a toggle jointconnection between the arms 13. Upright arms 18 are mounted upon therear ends of the sleeves 9 and are connected by links 19 with a rockinglever 20, pivoted at its center to a fixed arm 21 mounted upon theframework of the machine.

Integral with the lever 16 is an arm 22 which extends beneath thehorizontal arm 23 of a bell crank lever 24: pivoted at 25 to the frameof the machine. The other arm 26 engages a block 27, capable of slidingin horizontal ways 28 and carrying an adjustable screw 29.

Attached to the frame of the machine is a vertical plate 30, provided atits upper end with a hole 31 to receive the end of the spring to becompressed, and projecting from the rear of the plate 30 and immediatelyabove and below the hole 31 are prongs 32 and 38, having an inclosedspace 34 corresponding to the desired taper of the end of the spring.The prongs 32 and 33 are sufliciently narrow to pass between the groovedrolls 12 and allow them to press against the sides of the spring, theprongs serving as a guide for the spring as it advances between thegrooved rolls and preventing its vertical displacement. When the end ofthe spring has been advanced between the rolls 12 the desired distance,the advancing end strikes the screw 29 and pushes the sliding block 27in its way. The sliding block 27 engaging the arm 26 rocks the bellcrank lever 21 to depress its horizontal arm 23, thereby raising thelever 16 which releases the toggle joint formed by the lever 16 and link17. When the toggle joint connection between the arms 13 has thus beenreleased by the advancing end of the spring, the grooved rolls 12 areimmediately thrown apart by means of a spring 35, interposed between thespring sockets 36 formed on the swinging sleeves 9. The link 17 isprovided with an adjustable set screw 37 which strikes the top of one ofthe arms 13 as the lever 16 is depressed to allow the center of thepivotal pin 17 to be brought barely below the line of centers of thepins 14:- and 15, which looks the upright arms 13 in position andprevents the accidental separation of the rolls 12, 12. The rockinglever 20 and links 19 serve to keep the rear arms 18 in proper relationto each other and insure their simultaneous movement.

In the operation of my machine I insert the end of a wire spring in thehole 31, and by the depression of the lever 16 bring the rotatinggrooved rolls into operative position. The circumferential grooves onthe rolls 12 engage the spiral coils of the spring on diametricallyopposite sides of the spring, and immediately impart a rotating movementto the spring, which is gradually advanced between the rolls owing tothe pitch of the spiral coils of the spring. As the spring advancesbetween the rolls 12 its diameter is gradually decreased by reason ofthe increased diameter of the rolls, and the desired taper is impartedto the spring by the compression of its coils. WVhen the advancing endof the spring contacts with the end of the screw 29, which has beenpreviously adjusted to obtain the desired length of taper, the slidingblock 27 is moved and the lever 16 lifted by the action of the bellcrank 24, allowing the spring 35 to imme diately separate the rolls 12and enable the spring to be withdrawn. The lever 16 may be raised by theoperator at any time in the process in order to stop the operation ofthe machine.

While my machine is primarily designed for tapering the ends of what areknown as tension springs made from coiled wire, it may be used fortapering any form of coiled wire whether sufficiently elastic to form aspring or not.

I claim- 1. In a machine of the class described, the combination ofcooperating rolls constructed with gradually increasing diameter, meansfor rotating said rolls, means for conducting a wire coil between saidrolls beginning at the ends of smallest diameter, and means forseparating said rolls, said means operated by said coil as it advancesbetween said rolls.

2. In a machine of the class described, the combination of cooperatingrolls constructed with gradually increasing diameter, means for rotatingsaid rolls, means for conducting a wire coil between said rolls, andmeans for automatically separating said I'Olls to release said coil whensaid coil has received the desired length of taper.

3. In a machine of the class described, the combination of taperinggrooved rolls, means for locking said rolls in a posit-ion to compress awire coil between them, means for rotating said rolls, means actingautomatically for releasing said rolls when the wire coil has receivedthe desired length of taper, and means for separating said rolls.

4. In a machine of the class described, the combination with parallelshafts supported by swinging arms, means for rotating said shafts, oftapering rolls carried by said shafts arranged to compress a wire coilbe tween them, means for rocking said arms to bring the tapering rollsinto cooperative position, and means for locking said arms to hold saidrolls in said cooperative position.

5. In a machine of the class described, the combination with cooperatingrolls constructed with gradually increasing diameter, means for rotatingsaid rolls, means for conducting a wire coil between said rolls, meansfor automatically separating said rolls to release said coil when saidcoil has received the desired length of taper, and means for operatingsaid separating means at will if clesired.

6. In a machine of the class described, the combination with taperinggrooved rolls arranged to compress a Wire coil between them, parallelshafts carrying said rolls, means for rotating said shafts, armssupporting said shafts and capable of movement about a common center,means for rocking said arms to vary the distance of said rolls, andmeans for locking said rolls in a cooperative position.

7. In a machine of the class described, the combination with cooperatingrolls having a tapering periphery provided with grooves, means forrotating said rolls, means for locking said rolls in cooperativeposition, a slidable block arranged to be moved by said wire coil, meansoperated by the movement of said block for releasing said rolls, andmeans for separating said rolls.

8. In a machine of the class described, the combination of taperinggrooved rolls, the grooves on said rolls arranged to engage a coil ofwire and draw it between said rolls, means for rotating said rolls, andmeans for separating said rolls at a predetermined point in theoperation of the machine.

Dated this tenth day of February 1908.

GEORGE H. SCOTT.

I/Vitnesses:

RUFUS B. FOWLER, PENELOPE COMBERBAGH.

